Musgo Real

This is what I use every Monday, and indeed any time I feel sleepy or groggy in the morning. With a hangover, nothing wakens you up and steels your nerves better than lathering up with Musgo and holding a cut-throat razor to your face! It's something about the fresh, grassy smell, the discrete hint of menthol, that wakes me up and makes me feel somehow very clean. The smell it leaves on your face is like nothing else, fresh, and immensely masculine.

The lather is rich, slick, and very moisturising. This stuff is very kind on the skin, if I nick myself, it stops bleeding before Ive even rinsed off the lather, and it always leaves my skin very soft. Lanolin must be good stuff.

I've used it brushless, but didn't find it as good, I think because the layer of lather was so thick, it dried out a bit while I was stropping my razor. This never happens when I use a brush. It does leave my brushes a little tacky, but only if I use it every time, and the use of another soap next time cures this.

While it smells so nice, and does look like a toothpaste tube, don't get them mixed up. When I had one of those shaving accidents (in this case accident on purpose, how could I resist when it smells so good?), it didn't taste so nice, and made my mouth feel funny.

Excellent, and definitely something everyone should experience.

I was lucky enough to have this be the first cream I ever tried.

Price:Very affordable at around $8-$10 all over online.

Quality: Every time I think I might have achieved the best shave of my life it has been with Musgo. I get better shaves with it then even the English creams I have. I have yet to have a problem with it gumming up my brushes, a little water has cleaned them out easily.

Scent: A very unique scent. I don't think I could possible describe it. I do smell the hint of grass others mention. It's a smell that started out ok and kind of interesting and grew to love after a few weeks. The only cream I like the smell of better is the C&E Sweet Almond Oil.

Latherability: I thought this stuff lathered amazing with my boar hair brush, but after getting a badger brush for Christmas I was blown away. I could barely keep the lather in the bowl as it just kept exploding.

Efficacy: I have mixed it a bit wet and dry and it seems to work great either way. Also as said before a little goes a long way.

Moisturizing Properties: I constantly had dry skin from shaving for years (mostly from canned goo). When using Musgo I don't even need to use a ASB. It does a great job moisturizing.

Packaging: Musgo comes in the same kind of metal tubes Proraso or C&E use.
It sits nicely on the shelf and travels great.

Musgo is probably my favorite cream. It gives me the most amazing shaves, keeps my skin nice, and smells great. HIGHLY recommend to all.

Tony

I'm ashamed to have waited for someone else to have reviewed this before submitting my comments. This was one of my first creams purchased, and it really sent me on my way to Shaving Nirvana. This product has been around for a loooong time. Its longevity should therefore serve as a testament to how good this cream is.

First, the smell. There's nothing like it -- at least, not to me. It's not flowery, it's not musky. Grassy doesn't quite capture it either. I can only describe it as a fresh scent. I'm guilty of sneaking a whiff of this stuff whenever I pass by the bathroom (actually, I'm sure most of us do this with our favorite creams). My hope is that when I visit Portugal someday, the entire country smells like Musgo. If it does, I'll probably never leave.

Next, the lather. There are few creams that lather as well as Musgo Real. This is the Brylcreem of the shaving world, insofar as you can really say "a little dab will do ya." You barely have to make more than a few swirls of the brush before your small dollop explodes like a popcorn kernel -- the biggest popcorn kernel in the world. In fact, I'm sure if you look at Musgo underneath a microscope, you'll see miniature hand grenades mixed in with all the creamy goodness.

(FWIW, I've also used Musgo as a brushless cream while traveling, also to good effect.)

Finally, the shave. So smooth, so slick, so serene. It gives a great cushion, and I can do several passes without paying a price later in the form of razor burn. In fact, I would argue that for beginners, this is an excellent cream to use. It's slick and cushions enough to mask any potential lapses in technique.

There are a couple of knocks. Firstly, it comes in a metal tube, so there's nothing fancy in the packaging. Secondly, I might be the teeniest bit allergic to the lanolin in it. But it's nothing that doesn't allow me to enjoy 2-3 shave passes. After the final rinse, my face is supple and ready to go. And the lingering scent is so nice, I never want to mask it with anything.

To my face and olfactory bulb, this has the best combination of latherability, lubricity, and smell. It leaves my face so moisturized afterwards, that there’s really no need for aftershave balm. I love this stuff so much, I only save it for times when I really want to treat myself. You know, everyday...

Musgo Real: The Best of the Best.

Price: Musgo Real is quite affordable at a number of online retailers and elsewhere. Mine was acquired in a trade 2 years ago (and still performs exellently)
Quality: Musgo Real is supposedly stirred for days in open vats before it is ready to be packaged. The quality of the cream is to me on a par with other creams, the texture reminds me of Palmolive lather or perhaps C&E; it is thicker than Taylor. Some have complained that it gummed up their brushes, but I have not experienced this with any of the Musgo creams, some do take a little more thorough rinsing, presumably from the lanolin, but water is all it took.
Scent: Musgo Real is a very unique, green sort of scent. Personally I love it. Reminiscent to me of Penhaligon English Fern,(but not quite) perhaps with a hint of grass...it is a very fresh sort of smell.
Latherability: Musgo really starts to shine here. Personally I mix Musgo a bit wetter than other creams, don't ask me why, I just like it that way. Use less water if you like a drier lather.
Pics:
First a little goes a long way:


Here is the result after 25-30 seconds swirling with a wet badger brush:


I mix this wet, but it performs great without, also. Here is after another 30 seconds of swirling and a tablespoon of water added:


The lather easily overpowers the somewhat large ziploc bowl I am using for the demonstration (spilled perhaps a half cup of lather to the floor), covers the bristles completely. Might I add this smells heavenly, to boot.

Here is some on the brush:


And of course, the requisite lather-on-arm pic:


Efficacy: I think the pictures about cover it for this one. The cream is very forgiving, you can mix it as wet or as thick as you like. Not nearly as picky as some creams are, IMHO. A little goes a long way.

Moisturizing Properties: My face generally feels soft and smooth for a few hours after shaving with Musgo, although the Musgo Pre-post doesn't hurt (Yes Joel, it's the same tube you traded to me ages ago...thanks!). I like it quite a bit, and I think the lanolin in the cream seems to help my skin. If you are allergic to lanolin (some are!) make sure to look for the boric acid ONLY version.

Packaging: Musgo is sold in high quality metal tubes similar to those Proraso comes in, inside a box; usually the ingredients are found on the outside of the box, so if one throws the box away it may be difficult to tell which version he has. Otherwise no complaints. Wish this stuff came in tubs, I'd have one.

Musgo was one of my first favorite creams; it is mildly cooling, but not numbing or extremely cooling like Proraso or some others. Very refreshing with a nice, non-medicinal smell. HIGHLY recommend all wetshavers try this at least once. A very high quality product still available at a reasonable price.
John P.